For the Adult Rehab Immersion, I Recommend Max Assist

June 24, 2025
by Katelyn

Classes Fieldwork School/Life Balance

Within the USC Chan E-OTD program, each year is divided into 4 different groups (A, B, C, and D). After a gentle Fall first semester to understand foundations, each cohort transitions into one of four immersions: Adult Physical Rehabilitation, Mental Health, Pediatrics, or Productive Aging and Geriatrics. At the start of our second semester, each cohort participates in a different practice immersion simultaneously.

My cohort, Cohort A, started with Adult Physical Rehabilitation, a class known to be intellectually stimulating and engaging. It was difficult. As the title states, I recommend Maximum Assistance. For those unfamiliar, in Adult Rehab, there are functional levels of assistance that determine the level of assistance a client requires. I required maximum assistance from my community to flourish in the class. It is clear that Adult Rehab is a team endeavour, and now that I have succeeded and have had the opportunity to reflect on my time within the Adult Rehab immersion, I am thankful. The Adult Rehab immersion, while stressful, was invigorating. The material was dense, but applicable. The practicums, while nerve-wracking, shaped us to be better future clinicians. It was fulfilling.

50-plus pages of weekly textbook reading, wading through dense articles, and weekly quizzes that felt like exams — I thought I was in a fever dream going 100 miles an hour in my Adult Rehab Immersion. I could never have gotten through the class without my amazing table group. Shout-out to Angie, Maya, Nicole, Noah, and Taylor. I could not have asked for a better group, and I was so grateful to have been able to work with all of you and divvy up each week’s work for our weekly IRATS (more on this in a second). Similarly, I am so grateful to have been taught by phenomenal professors Dr. Carly Roberts, Dr. Samia Rafeedie, and Jane Baumgarten.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The Adult Rehab immersion, like all other immersions, is broken into three parts. One day of fieldwork and three 3-hour classes each week: two lectures and one lab. To deepen our understanding of Adult Rehab and promote collaboration, this class uses a Team-Based Learning method. Every student takes a weekly quiz, an Individual Readiness Assurance Test (IRAT), before immediately taking a Group Readiness Assurance Test (GRAT). These quizzes focus on collaboration. My group worked as a team, holding each other accountable and enriching our learning. This ultimately helped us hone our teamwork skills, skills we will later employ as practicing occupational therapists working within a healthcare team.

Lectures were insightful. We learned about case applications, how to write SOAP notes, and how to go about applying our knowledge on amputations, lymphedema, and durable medical equipment, and more at our Fieldwork (FW) Level I sites. I had an amazing experience at USC Verdugo Hills’ outpatient hand therapy clinic. I was able to follow my FW educator and apply the knowledge I learned in class to my time at Verdugo Hills. My FW focused mainly on patients with carpal tunnel, pain in the upper extremity, and also patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer. My FW educator was certified in lymphatic drainage and saw many patients to prevent or decrease lymphedema, typically secondary to breast cancer.

And labs. I loved labs. We had the ability to have hands-on experience on the very things we were learning in lecture. Each class focused on a different aspect within the Adult Rehab curriculum. Some of my favorites were: Standardized Patients: Bed Mobility, Wheelchair Mobility lab with Juan Angulo, and Orthotic Selection, Design, and Fabrication. Each had their own difficulties. The standardized patients helped scaffold our learning. They provided lots of feedback and provided us a safe environment to make mistakes (even though those mistakes felt traumatic at the time!), and subsequently learn from them. While the wheelchair mobility lab was fun, it was also eye-opening. From turning around a corner to propelling yourself forward up a hill, each was difficult and had its nuances. While Juan made it look easy, he made it clear that it came with time and practice.

Finally, fabricating orthotics. This might have been my favorite lab, as I have always loved hands-on crafting. I enjoyed the act of refining my orthotic, focusing on minute details in an attempt to prevent blisters or rubbing against the skin. I felt useful applying my creative side to the profession I love.

Ultimately, one key takeaway from reflecting on my time in my Adult Rehab immersion was the importance of balance. While it is important to learn about spinal cord injuries, wheelchairs, and other things of the like, it was equally important to do meaningful activities. Being completely honest, I found it difficult to find that balance. There were weeks when I felt I was swamped by Adult Rehab and struggled. However, there were other weeks I did better! I took up running and ran two 5Ks in the month of March, I had good food and yap sessions with friends, and I even went to Six Flags!

In the end, I loved my time in Adult Rehab. I am forever grateful for such an amazing cohort and program. I feel like my blog post is only the tip of the iceberg in regards to what Adult Rehab truly entails. Regardless, just remember… take breaks and find balance, even in the hardest of semesters.

Ta-ta for now!

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